FYI: It turns out that "make install" did not actually install the module because it said the module

QUOTE

/lib/modules/2.4.20-8/misc/lirc_dev.o was compiled for kernel version 2.4.20-8custom

That must be because I went through the process outlined by hughesjr above. "Well that's silly," I thought, because I didn't change anything about the kernel and didn't change the configuration file before compiling the kernel modules. So I forced the module in with "insmod -f lirc_gpio". (I also changed the permissions on /dev/lircd and /dev/lirc to rw-rw-rw, but I don't know if that did anything important.) Then I ran lircd and irw and all the buttons on the remote were working correctly. Now I just have to tweak the ~/.lircrc file.